In The Beginning
Plyometrics were developed in Eastern Europe for Olympic
competitors. The words plyo and metrics are Latin for
"measurable increases." All plyometric exercises are
done quickly and correctly. There are never any shortcuts.
Every action is performed with the intent to have a muscle
reach full movement as quickly as possible. If you do
plyometrics consistently and correctly you will see results.

In the 1920s, the sport of track and field was the first to
employ a systematic method of using plyometric-training methods.
By the 1970s this methods of power development was being used by
other sports that required explosive power for successful competition.

What Are Plyometrics?
Speed and strength are integral components of fitness found in varying
degrees in virtually all athletic movements. Simply put the combination
of speed and strength is power. For many years coaches and athletes have
sought to improve power in order to enhance performance. Throughout this
century and no doubt long before, jumping, bounding and hopping exercises
have been used in various ways to enhance athletic performance.

Plyometrics can best be described as "explosive-reactive" power training.
This type of training involves powerful muscular contractions in response
to a rapid stretching of the involved musculature. These powerful
contractions are not a pure muscular event; they have an extremely high
degree of central nervous system involvement. The event is a neuromuscular
event! It is a combination of an involuntary reflex (i.e. a neural event),
which is then followed by a fast muscular contraction (i.e. voluntary
muscular event). Sound complicated? Well, it's really not. We all have
seen it, experienced it and continue to use this type of "reactive"
movement pattern to develop power. We all do it everyday.

Muscle Mechanism
The maximum force that a muscle can develop is attained during a rapid eccentric contraction. However,
it should be realized that muscles seldom perform one type of contraction in isolation during athletic
movements. When a concentric contraction occurs (muscle shortens) immediately following an eccentric
contraction (muscle lengthens) then the force generated can be dramatically increased. If a muscle is
stretched, much of the energy required to stretch it is lost as heat, but some of this energy can be
stored by the elastic components of the muscle. This stored energy is available to the muscle only
during a subsequent contraction. It is important to realize that this energy boost is lost if the
eccentric Contraction is not followed immediately by a concentric contraction. To express this greater
force the muscle must contract within the shortest time possible. This whole process is frequently
called the stretch shortening
cycle and is the underlying mechanism of plyometric training.

Choose the method to fit the sport
The golden rule of any conditioning program is specificity. This means that the movement
you perform in training should match, as closely as possible, the movements encountered
during competition. If you are a volleyball player interested in increasing vertical jump
height, then drop jumping or box jumping may be the right plyometric exercise for you.

What not to do
Inappropriate use of plyometric training has been associated with
various forms of "over-use" injuries, especially in the lower
extremities (e.g. patellar and Achilles tendinitis and plantar faciitis).
It is important to be in good physical shape in order to perform plyometric
exercises.This type of training, especially when done at a very high
intensity, is a high-risk endeavor (i.e. high returns but at high risk).
Like any other high-risk maneuver, high intensity plyometrics should not
designed or performed without the supervision of a professional overseeing
the training, and response, to the exercise protocol.